South Koreans protest U.S. beef as unsafe

Government trying to ease concerns amid flurry of Internet rumors

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Protestors gathered Friday night in various cities across South Korea to denounce their government's decision to ease restrictions on U.S. beef amid widespread fears the meat could be contaminated with mad cow disease.

In Seoul, some 10,000 people attended a candlelight vigil, according to Korean media reports. Such vigils have become a popular form of protest in recent years.

Public fears over the safety of U.S. beef have been fueled by unsubstantiated Internet reports, with the South Korean government aggressively trying to ease such concerns.

Last week, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo told the nation that if there is the slightest indication U.S. beef is unsafe, the government will take immediate action to reinstate an import ban.

The government also released a 10-point memo last week refuting many of the rumors circulating via the Internet, including claims that Koreans are genetically more susceptible to the human form of the mad cow disease.

How President Lee Myung-bak handles the U.S. beef controversy is expected to be a critical litmus test of his leadership and an indication of whether he can achieve a balance between his pro-U.S. stance and sometimes anti-U.S. public opinion.

South Korea last month agreed to allow import of beef on the bone from cattle under 30-months-old and further relax regulations to import meat from cattle older than 30 months if the U.S. strengthens control on feed.

South Korea, once one of the largest markets for U.S. beef, banned its import in 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was discovered in the state of Washington. It subsequently eased regulations in 2006 to allow the import of boneless beef from some types of cattle.

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